Julia London's Blog, page 33
June 25, 2012
Deadly Dance
As the intelligence specialist for A-Tac, a black-ops CIA unit masquerading as Ivy League faculty, Hannah Marshall is used to working behind the scenes. But when a brutal murder hits too close to home, Hannah finds herself in the middle of the action, falling in love while racing to outwit a sadistic mastermind.
A KILLER CLOSES IN
After the death of her A-Tac partner, Hannah doubts everything she thought she knew about love and loyalty. When handsome Harrison Blake joins the team, she’s reluctant to trust him—or to act on her intense attraction to him. Then Hannah receives a podcast of a gruesome murder, and the only person who can help her find the killer is Harrison.
Harrison has spent years trying to hunt down the cunning monster who killed his sister. Now investigating with Hannah, he faces a shocking possibility—his sister’s murderer has resurfaced. As the danger escalates, Hannah and Harrison grow closer, and the desire simmering between them ignites. After Hannah disappears, Harrison has only one chance to save the woman he loves.
Deadly Dance is the fifth book in the A-Tac Series.
And check out www.deedavis.com for reviews, excerpts and more.
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More Monday Smiles
In keeping with Sherri’s Monday Smiles theme: things that make me smile!
Beautiful Gardens!
Hot Men!
Food Glorious Food!
My Friends!
So what are some of the things that make you smile?
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June 22, 2012
War on Aphids
[image error]So one of the things I like best about living in the city is that there are very few bugs! I rarely have a mosquito bite (which I am allergic to), or an ant bite, or a spider or well, anything tiny with six to eight legs. It’s been nirvana for me. But when we moved apartments to our new place with the terrace, and filled it with plants—they have come. In droves. Like we’re beaming an insect bat signal or something.
Most recently we’ve been infested (okay I use we less than literally here—my plants) with aphid. I’ve fought aphids all my life. The most memorable being when we had crape myrtles that overhung our front door. On summer (thanks to a not so lucky plumber) we discovered that the trees were overrun with yellow jackets. (Another really despicable insect). It wasn’t a pretty picture (the plumber, God bless him, was bald) and we knew that we needed to get rid of the stinging buggers post haste. Unfortunately, it took a while to discover the cause of their attraction.
You guessed it—aphids. But in that case I sprayed once or maybe twice and the problem was solved. The aphids died and the yellow jackets moved on. But here—they attacked my roses and [image error]wouldn’t give up the battle. So much so that one of the roses succumbed (and I honestly didn’t know that aphids could kill a plant) and we had to “bury” it this weekend. The other is still healthy but the aphids keep coming back. And now they’ve moved to my pepper (and a columbine that also bit the dust ). Everything thing else on the terrace has fuzzy leaves to there is no attraction. But the rose and the pepper may yet see their doom. If the aphids don’t get them, the spray (and we use the healthy kind) will.
(In full disclosure I think the aphids only weakened the rose and a fungus attack got it, but people this is Manhattan and we don’t have that sort of thing…)
Anyway, as I mourn the loss of my beautiful rose bush, I continue to fight. It is a protracted battle and one which I fear I won’t win. Did I mention I hate BUGS?
How about you? Bug fan? Bug hater? Any particular ones you despise/love/etc? It’s summer—they’re everywhere.
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June 21, 2012
Jesus Christ: Vampire Hunter
All this week, I’ve been bombarded with ads for Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. And every time I want to say, “Seriously?” How much do we need to rip off the quintessential inventor of this genre, Sherri Browning Erwin, whose groundbreaking works, Grave Expectations and Jane Slayre were the original contributions to the idea of historical re-enactment, mash-up style. Since this is my blog post, I can make whatever claims I choose, and so I will. 
But back to Lincoln, yes, back to Lincoln, I wonder if the Lincoln writers are onto something. There was discussion about re-imagining Jane Austen or Charlotte Bronte as an erotica writer. Or slash fiction involving Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates (the most forbidden of love, M/M teacher/student, AND polygamy). All the ideas, all the historical figures, juxtaposed against sex, or vampires, or sex with vampires! Honestly, it boggles the mind with the creative offshoots.
Grave Expectations
So last night, I was thinking…Hollywood has already done The Last Temptation of Christ, and then Dan Brown did Da Vinci code, which I won’t spoil, but needless to say, Jesus and sex were involved, and not in the rather traditional .. “Yes, Yes, Oh my God, YES!” sort of way. So, why not go the other way. Why not Jesus Christ: Vampire Hunter? It’s the ultimate battle of good vs. evil. Who really needs the devil when Dracula or Edward Cullen or… I don’t know.. zombies are involved? Think of the possibilities. It’s the undead vs. the never dead. Who will triumph? Can our hero save the world from this scourge of neck-biting, troll-baiting, virgin-loving, blood-letting, rich tycoonish billionaires with impossible good looks? I like to think that Jesus would win, but I can see endless sequels to this trope, because you know, vampires, just never stay dead. I don’t know what God was thinking when he invented vampires? Perhaps he wanted to give his son a new career opportunity. Don’t know.
Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter, released 2001
But eventually I went to sleep, still dreaming of a bearded-robed Christ raising a stake on Black Friday and re-imagining the history of the world…
Whoa. It’s like listening to Pink Floyd for four days straight…
Or reading Forty Shades of Gray (which was the prequel to Fifty Shades of Gray), or Seventy Shades of Grape, the tantalizing tale of a mesmerizing Martian (disguising his natural purplish color and dual appendages in order to blend in as an ordinary software billionaire with a chiseled visage and a love of tight jeans…). Enter our heroine (both literally, metaphorically, and carnally), who senses something “amiss” with Marty and is both *shocked* and pleasured when he finally reveals his true colors (both literally, metaphorically, and genitally)…. Ah yes, the possibilities are endless. And then we learn that Marty has *brothers* who are not only software billionaires, but Wall Street tycoons, Arab sheiks, and dashing pirates, and exotic Princes, and Greek Tycoons (an endangered species, along with Spanish Tycoons, Italian Tycoons, and pretty much every other Euro Tycoon, except for maybe German Tycoons, but is the world really ready for a German Tycoon?).
Oh. It’s like listening to Pink Floyd for fifty days of gray straight, or maybe bent?
So, what has the world of literature overlooked? What treasure trove of blatant rip-offs remain to be mined and milked? Are you having a good Thursday? Is it hot enough for you? Does the impending heat mean that the world has become infested with heat-loving vampires with a disdain of air conditioning and thirst for human perspiration? I think I’m off to spin me some Pink Floyd while running the A/C, while wearing garlic, as well as the crucifix. Jesus Christ, patron saint of vampire slayers all.
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June 20, 2012
Sister Wives and More Fringe TV
Have you seen this show? I have a wierd love-hate relationship with it. I catch it from time to time when I am surfing the channels, and I always stop. I can’t wrap my head around it. I am not talking about their religion – to each his own and all that. But I don’t see how it can work on a practical level. I like all the women. They all seem like women I would be friends with. I think it’s him that bugs me. I keep picturing him hopping from bed to bed and being quite all right with that. I get the impression that he really likes the limelight. But more importantly, I try and figure out under what circumstance I would ever a) be married to a guy who said, “lets get another wife” b), be friends with that woman, and c) want to have lots and lots of children with that guy. And his other wives. I don’t get it. I am confident I never will.
Did someone mention train wrecks? Because American Gypsy Wedding is that and more. I knew I had stumbled onto trash viewing gold when I flipped past and the girl said she was marrying her first cousin, but that was okay among gypsies. First of all, did anyone know that West Virginia had a lot of American gypsies with big wedding dresses and a gypsy culture? I didn’t know it. Secondly, didn’t it become taboo to marry a first cousin for a reason? And third, does it get any better than a wedding with an enormous dress, a first cousin, and a girl fight? Turn up the volume and pass the popcorn!
You all know about toddler beauty pageants. Once again, not passing judgment, but asking…do you know how much it costs to participate in these weekend events? I am astounded by how much is spent on the costumes (those little dresses cost more than I’ve ever spent on a dress), the tans, and the coaching. We are talking thousands of dollars, and if someone tries to home-spin it, forget it. Those costumes never win. I can see spending that kind of money if a kid was a little older and capable of expressing an intererst, but these little three year-olds? Wow. That’s a lot of dough for someone who probably has a different favorite color every week and cannot handle the disappointment of not getting another popsicle.
Someone explain to me why I am so addicted to this show. I DVR it every year. I watch it every week, and it never changes–they go out, they fish. They either catch a lot of crab, or they don’t. They get mad at each other and their ships rise and fall as they plow through some pretty intense water. I marvel at the attraction to it, why I want to see it, why I want to know how much crab they caught. I don’t get it at all–but I am not alone. Seems like millions of us are caught up with the Deadliest Catch. Five bucks to anyone who can explain to me what is so addictive about this show.
I didn’t go into the Real Housewives, because that’s a whole other post. What fringe TV have you seen that’s made you scratch your head? Is there anything that draws you in and won’t let you go? What’s your summer viewing?
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June 19, 2012
MORE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS
Since Sherri’s blog yesterday started off our week with a smile, I thought I’d keep the trend going and add to my recent “Favorites” theme–since things we love bring smiles. This week let’s talk about foods.
It’s almost impossible for me keep a list of my favorite foods down to a minimum because I pretty much love everything. In fact, there’s only one food I really don’t like: Brussell sprouts. Figures that the one thing I don’t care to eat has like zero calories! But other than Brussell sprouts…I’m in. Yet how to narrow down my choices to just a few favorites? Ooooh, the dilemna! But after much thought, here’s my list of my top three favorite foods:
In third place–shrimp scampi. I love shrimp, I love garlic, I love butter. Put them all together and you can’t miss. Toss the scampi over pasta and I’m in heaven.
In second place–lobster. And I mean the whole lobster–not just the tail. I don’t cook lobsters very often–they’re very pricey where I live–but it’s always a feast when we indulge.
[image error]
someone hand me a bib!
And claiming the number one spot on my list of favorite foods: linguini and clam sauce.
I swear I could eat this for dinner every night. I love the delicate flavor of fresh clams, and combined with the garlic and olive oil, parsley and hint of lemon…mama mia. When we lived near Costco I would pick up a bag of fresh clams every Friday at their seafood roadshow and make linguini and clam sauce. I can still get clams where we live now, but they’re much more expensive. I miss my Costco!
So how about you? What are your top three favorite foods? Do you make them yourself or prefer to eat them at a restaurant? Hope your week is off to a good start!
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June 18, 2012
Monday Morning Smiles
It’s Monday! We all need to find our happy. Here are some things that make me smile:
1. My grandfather. He’s 94, and still sharp, very funny (corny funny, not sarcastic funny) and such a wonderful man. A true gentleman. I’m so lucky to still have him in my life. We spent Father’s Day at my grandfather’s house with most of my family. Good times.
2. Princess and superhero running costumes made of Under Armour fabric to whisk away sweat and odor! Oh, Julia London, yes please wear these in your next race! From The Princess Runs shop. [image error]
[image error]3. It has been getting hotter in CT and I end up craving one of these: Disney’s grown-up slushies, the Grey Goose Citron lemon slush and the Grand Marnier Orange slush. Well, you know, anything Disney makes me smile. But these are definitely some of my favorite things. In Epcot’s World Showcase, French pavilion. Walt Disney World has four major parks (Magic Kingdom, Disney Hollywood Studios, Epcot, and Animal Kingdom), and only the Magic Kingdom is dry. Yes, there is a lot for adults to do in Walt Disney World (not all involving alcoholic beverages).
4. Writing! This can make me cry as often as smile, but when I am in the zone and the words come easily and I am creating entire worlds from my imagination… such a great feeling!
5. A good book/a good movie! The right one can take the edge off a bad day, whisk you away to a new time or place, and make you laugh/cry/feel/laugh. I watched Crazy, Stupid Love over again the other night, and I laughed and cried and laughed more. I love that movie. Not just because of Ryan Gosling shirtless, but it doesn’t hurt.
6. My friends. They’re always around when I need a pick-me-up or sound advice, or silliness and smiles. Yay for friends! And especially yay for friends who buy and wear a Wonderwoman suit for running. (Still looking at you, JFL!).
Cheers, Whiners.
What made you smile today?
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June 17, 2012
Grave Expectations
Heaven knows, we need never be ashamed of our wolfish cravings. . . .
Bristly, sensitive, and meat-hungry Pip is a robust young whelp, an orphan born under a full moon. Between hunting escaped convicts alongside zombified soldiers, trying not to become one of the hunted himself, and hiding his hairy hands from the supernaturally beautiful and haughty Estella, whose devilish moods keep him chomping at the bit, Pip is sure he will die penniless or a convict like the rest of his commonly uncommon kind.
But then a mysterious benefactor sends him to London for the finest werewolf education money can buy. In the company of other furry young gentlemen, Pip tempers his violent transformations and devours the secrets of his dark world. When he discovers that his beloved Estella is a slayer of supernatural creatures, trained by the corpse-like vampire Miss Havisham, Pip’s desire for her grows stronger than his midnight hunger for rare fresh beef. But can he risk his hide for a truth that will make Estella his forever—or will she drive one last silver stake through his heart?
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June 15, 2012
Join Me: Friday Whine Session
Is something annoying you? Need to vent? Let it all out! That way, we can start the weekend fresh. Ready? I’ll start.
Gym Class. That’s what I’m whining about, all these years later. I hated gym class. It was my personal nightmare. I was an awkward kid. I got winded easily, possibly undiagnosed asthma. I am an asthma sufferer, but didn’t get an official diagnosis until I was 19. As a kid, I would lose my breath and not be able to catch it again for a long time. Also, I couldn’t seem to catch a ball, kick a ball, or get out of the way of a ball headed right at me. [image error]
I was picked last every time we picked teams. And it was always a grudging pick, like “Ugh, we have to take Sherri.”[image error]
Being picked last for every team sport imaginable didn’t exactly build my self-esteem or encourage me to move around. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with gym class, but maybe if we’re going to focus on getting those awkward kids moving, to combat childhood obesity, we need to re-examine the way we teach gym class and the way we introduce kids to physical activity. Because the old school way didn’t work for me. If anything, it kept me from feeling comfortable with physical activity until I was in my thirties. Think on that, Mrs. Obama.
Though, I was just reading about an adult kickball league, and I would like to look into that. Maybe I can redeem myself.
But back to my physical failures…
I wanted to be a runner. I tried to be a runner. I am not a runner. So not a runner! My efforts ended in creaky knees and frustration. I went back to walking. I’m a fine walker, if not a fast walker. But running and me, not meant to be. I leave the road to Julia London and applaud her efforts.
She was probably never picked last in gym class.
Now that’s off my chest, and I can enjoy my weekend at home (and visiting my father and grandfather on Father’s Day). It’s my houseversary– I have lived in my house for one year today! Doesn’t it seem like just yesterday I was whining about moving?
Monday, we’ll blog about cheerier subjects, what makes us smile. But for now…
Did you love gym class, or hate it? Do you still have nightmares of any school classes? What do you want to whine about today?
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June 14, 2012
Adventure is in the Eye of the Beholder
[image error]So my husband is on a biking trip with his brothers. Riding from DC to Pittsburg. Although I think putting it that way it doesn’t sound as fun as it is most likely going to be! They’re riding along an old canal and then following an abandoned train track. Three brothers and John’s daughter’s husband. John, the oldest brother, rides cross-country all the time. And just returned from a trip to Belize where he biked with a group of like-minded individuals. And Robert J., the son-in-law, is a marathoner and former bike racer. My husband and his brother Jim are not quite as athletic, but following close behind, so I know they’ll all have a marvelous time.
This is the second trip like this they’ve undertaken. The first, a trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, was a celebration of my husband’s fiftieth birthday. And I think the trip started a trend. And since I’m the original couch-potato girl, I’m delighted he’s found such a great group to adventure with. 
Me, I’ll stick to adventure on the pages of my book. Although, that said, I am looking forward to a trip to London (my second favorite city) this fall. Going to be a fabulous time—and also with like-minded people (although one of them is turning into a marathoner and the other is walking daily—so I may have to get off of the couch for self-preservation!)
[image error]Are you a doer or a relaxer? For all the couch potato bit, I’d much prefer a vacation filled with things to do—just not biking or running or any other unnecessary physical activity J! Anyway, how about you? Is your idea of a dream vacation to bike across the country? Or would you rather eat scones and cream and sip piping hot tea? Or maybe a vineyard in California? Or a little beach time? What’s your ideal vacation setting?
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